Kojagari Laxmi Puja is a Hindu festival celebrated primarily in the eastern regions of India, especially in West Bengal, Odisha, and parts of Assam. This auspicious occasion falls on the full moon night in the Hindu month of Ashwin, which usually occurs in October. Devotees observe this festival to worship Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, with great devotion and enthusiasm. This year, the puja will be observed on October 28, 2023.
It is believed that on this auspicious day of Ashwin Purima, Goddess Laxmi comes to earth to bless the devotees. The devotees who observe fasts and offer prayers to Goddess Laxmi with devotion, Goddess Laxmi blesses them with happiness, wealth, luxuries, and all the earthy pleasures. The day is also popularly celebrated as a Bengal Lakshami Puja. It takes place in a grand scale in Bihar and Budelkhand. It puja is considered to be performed at Nishita Kaal at midnight and it is advised to stay awake all night and do bhajan and kirtan of Goddess Laxmi.
Goddess Laxmi is offered a plate full of meals consisting of khichdi, aloo bhaja, labra, and sweets. Along with these, fruits are also offered to the Goddess. There are a variety of sweets offered to the Goddess during Puja which are afterwards consumed by the devotees as prasad.
Take a look at some of the sweets offered to Goddess Laxmi:
- Narkeler Naru
Narkeler Naru, also known as coconut laddoos, is a popular sweet treat in Bengali cuisine. These delectable confections are made from freshly grated coconut, jaggery, and a hint of cardamom for flavor. The grated coconut is toasted until it turns golden and releases its nutty aroma. Jaggery, a traditional unrefined sugar, is melted to form a syrup, and then mixed with the toasted coconut to create a sticky, sweet mixture. This mixture is then shaped into small, round balls, known as "naru."
- Kheerer Sandesh
Kheerer Sandesh is a mouthwatering Bengali dessert that beautifully blends the richness of condensed milk, the delicacy of chhena, and the aromatic essence of cardamom. This exquisite sweetmeat is prepared by simmering condensed milk and chhena together until they form a thick, creamy consistency. The mixture is then flavored with cardamom for a touch of fragrance and poured into molds to set. Once cooled, Kheerer Sandesh is often adorned with slivers of pistachios or saffron threads, enhancing both its visual appeal and taste.
- Pantua
It is similar to Gulab Jamun, Pantua is a classic version of Gulab Jamun. These round, spongy delights are made from a dough of chhena, often with a dash of semolina for texture. The dough is kneaded, rolled into small balls, and deep-fried until they attain a golden-brown hue. Once fried, these fluffy spheres are immersed in a fragrant sugar syrup infused with cardamom, which imparts a delightful aroma and a sweet, sticky coating.
- Payesh
It's a simple yet heartwarming dish made by simmering rice, often fragrant Gobindobhog rice, in a sweetened, thickened milk mixture. As the rice cooks, it absorbs the richness of the milk, and the pudding takes on a luscious, creamy texture. To enhance the flavor, a touch of cardamom, saffron, and sometimes rosewater or nuts are added. It is prepared and offered to the Goddess Laxmi as it is believed to be pious.
- Gurer Sandesh
It is a wonderful fusion of jaggery and chhena. To prepare Gurer Sandesh, chhena is expertly kneaded with crumbled jaggery, which imparts a distinctive caramel-like sweetness and a rich, earthy flavor. The mixture is then lovingly shaped into delightful, bite-sized squares or other creative forms. This is a common sweet offered during the Laxmi Puja, which is later distribute as prasad.
- Roshogolla
This is another sweet which is regarded as an essential part of the festival eats. These soft, spongy spheres of delight are made from chhena and are known for their pure, milky sweetness. Chhena is kneaded and rolled into small, round balls, which are then gently boiled in a sugar syrup until they swell up and become spongy. The syrup, typically flavored with a hint of cardamom, seeps into the roshogolla, infusing it with a sweet and aromatic essence.
- Chom Chom
These cylindrical, spongy confections are made from fresh chhena, kneaded into a dough, and then shaped into elongated, oval or cylindrical forms. They are typically boiled in sugar syrup until they absorb the sweetness and become soft and spongy. What sets Cham Cham apart is its vibrant appearance, as they are often dyed in various pastel shades like pink, yellow, or green, and then garnished with slivers of pistachios or grated coconut for added texture and visual appeal.